noun
Uncommon
mer
Mer (noun) means In chemistry, the smallest repeating structural unit in a polymer chain. Example: “Each mer in the polymer chain contributes the same repeating carbon backbone.”
noun
1
In chemistry, the smallest repeating structural unit in a polymer chain.
"A polymer is a compound formed of repeating structural units called mers, whose atoms share electrons to form very large molecules."
— Mikell P. Groover, Fundamentals of Modern Manufacturing (4th Edition) (2010)
"Each mer in the polymer chain contributes the same repeating carbon backbone."
"Chemists calculate a polymer's molecular weight by counting how many mers make up the chain."
How to use mer
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe one repeating building-block unit that gets copied over and over to make a polymer.
When to use it
A technical chemistry term, rarely seen outside polymer science.
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Word forms
- Plural
- mers
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Each _____ in the polymer chain contributes the same repeating carbon backbone.
Etymology
A shortening of "polymer" — chemists coined "mer" to name the single repeating unit that, strung together many times, forms the whole polymer.
Rhymes for mer
See all rhymes for mer →Frequently asked questions
What does “mer” mean?
The word “mer” means in chemistry, the smallest repeating structural unit in a polymer chain. In plain terms, the one repeating building-block unit that gets copied over and over to make a polymer.
How do you use “mer” in a sentence?
Here is “mer” used in a sentence: “Each mer in the polymer chain contributes the same repeating carbon backbone.”
What part of speech is “mer”?
“Mer” is a noun.
Is “mer” a common word?
“Mer” is an uncommon word in modern English.
